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Q: The Catholic Church has many miracles that no other religion has, miracles like healings, apparitions, stigmata, incorruptibles, bi-locations, floating, reading minds, along with many Eucharistic miracles. What other faith had received so many blessings by God as an indication of what to believe? Is there anything else he must do to win you over? – (From J in Raleigh, North Carolina)

A: Thanks for your interest in converting me, J, but you don’t really want me. As Father Tom said, “Marc, you are too much of a complainer to convert.”

Seriously, J, you raise an important question about our recent discussion about God winks, which are specific communications to a single living person from a single dead person. A miracle is a communication to a group of people.

A God wink may not involve a violation of the laws of nature but biblical miracles always do. Finally, biblical miracles are used to validate religious beliefs and often the authority of the prophet or messiah. God winks almost always are simple messages or wordless signs that the loved one is OK and that death is not the end of us or our love.

Einstein said that we have two choices in how we see the world. We can see nothing as a miracle or we can see everything as a miracle. Many people never receive a God wink because they just can’t believe that some experiences are signs from beyond the grave. Their rationalism has narrowed their spiritual horizons. However, and I must make clear that this is also true, some people are such true believers that mere coincidences are immediately interpreted as signs from Heaven. What I believe is that because God sometimes winks does not mean that God always winks.

Here are some God winks sent in by readers that fall right on the line between revelation and really interesting but ordinary events. You decide.

Q: My mom passed away in 2004 and while she was in a coma in the hospital, I asked her to send me a message that she was OK when she passed. A couple of weeks later, I was at home by myself and feeling very depressed. The phone rang (house phone, no cell then) and I answered. A very beautiful woman's voice asked if she could speak to Eleanor. My mom's name was Eleanor, not a very common name. I hesitated and then said I was sorry that there was no Eleanor at this address. She politely said she was very sorry and to have a wonderful day. I've always thought about this and wondered if it was a coincidence or a sign, but I felt at ease. – (From D)

A: Beautiful wink. However, as you suggest it just might have been a wrong number. The point of the winks is that they not only sustain belief, they also reflect belief and the fact that you took this phone call as a sign is proof that your faith is strong and your grief work is progressing nicely. God comfort you.

Q: After a long, sad battle with Alzheimer’s disease, my beloved father passed away in 2007. As it happened, a pair of robins built a nest within arm’s length of his bedroom window. In the spring after my dad’s death we decided to throw a graduation party for my son in our backyard. As I was standing by a tree talking to one of my father’s favorite cousins, a robin hopped out from under a bush and started pecking at our feet! She kept pecking and looking up at us! It was quite remarkable, and I immediately thought of that robin outside my dad’s window. I got the very strong impression that this was my father trying to tell me he didn’t want to miss the celebration! It’s something I never experienced before or since, and I’ll never forget it. Thank you for letting me share this with you. God bless.-- (From D)

A: Thank you, dear D. I do not doubt your God wink, but you should know that some bird behavior has other explanations. It is possible that the robin was pecking at you to protect her nest (you did say it was springtime). After my dad died, I was visited several times by a goldfinch who kept pecking at my window. Like you, I immediately thought it was a sign from dad until an ornithologist friend of mine told me that it is common for male birds to peck at their reflection in a window or mirror. They think it is another male bird entering their territory and the pecking is a way to scare them off. It is just hard to know what your robin meant.

At your next party make sure you invite someone who speaks bird. I believe that the best God winks are those where there really is no other explanation … and no birds!

(Send ALL QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS to The God Squad via email at godsquadquestion@aol.com. Rabbi Gellman is the author of several books, including “Religion for Dummies,” co-written with Fr. Tom Hartman. Also, the new God Squad podcast is now available.)

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